Facebook Commands Live Video for Celebrity Marketing

Periscope may be reborn, but Facebook Live will thrive in 2018.

There is no doubting that Facebook Live remains at the forefront of live streaming content for celebrity marketing entering 2018. Thanks to its user familiarity and instant audience connection, Facebook Live has had the luxury of paying 140 media groups and celebrities a total of $50 million to produce live content.

An overwhelming 78% of businesses that use Facebook Live claim that it was an effective marketing tool in 2017.

Moving forward into 2018, Twitter’s live stream extension Periscope has implemented 360 degree video technology that allows a broadcaster to go live and share their entire environment, making the broadcast as immersive as possible. CES’ Hardware Battlefield has already used Periscope 360 to expose their series of events to their 8.3 million following on Twitter. Now considering the Periscope feature is synced with Twitter in a single app, Periscopemay possess a threat to Facebook Live.

Brands such as Airbnb, have taken to Periscope 360, allowing to provide potential users a fully immersive experience to a foreign country. The video attracted 455,000 views in a single day. Twitter astoundingly attracted a record 6.8 million viewers for the inauguration via Periscope, but the avenue has yet to reveal the effectiveness with celebrity marketing.

Currently Periscope has 1.9 million daily active users, which is astounding. Yet, when compared to the clout of Facebook’s 1 billion daily users, Periscope is simply dwarfed.

YouTube Live poses more of a threat to Facebook and Instagram Live. Its 30 million daily users will make it a major player, and its position on the cusp of digital innovation means that millennials and future generations will continue to cut the cord and expand its user base.

Facebook’s size should not discredit the capabilities of Periscope and YouTube Live, as they are extremely viable options for a current business. Yet, the challengers must present themselves as user friendly as possible to compete.

To Periscope’s credit, the tool presents itself as business and brand friendly. The live streaming tool enables brands to create a community with how-to videos, allowing those brands to share industry news, mailing lists, and product demos. Periscope is ideal for celebrity branding, but it simply isn’t used at the rate Facebook Live is.

According to a Socialbakers finding, media, celebrity, and brand’s “official pages” have shown preference to Facebook Live over Periscope.

Of the top 500 celebrity accounts on Facebook and Twitter, celebrities are opting to use Facebook Live at a 40% higher rate than the Periscope tool.

33% of companies were using Periscope compared to Facebook Live, but by the end of the year, preference had shifted to 47% preferring Facebook Live to Periscope.

Ultimately, Facebook is proving itself as an unstoppable live streaming force, due to its size and accessibility. Periscope may possess unique business features to effectively track celebrity engagement, but currently the comfortability of Facebook Live will help the platform remain in its own live streaming class for celebrity marketers, but don’t count out YouTube’s ability to challenge and become another giant in the field.

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I'm Bob Williams, CEO| Speaker | Author of The Brand Agent

The Brand Agent provides resources on how to build brands through celebrities, music and sports.

Celebrity marketing requires special knowledge and skills. My articles are intended to help save you time, money and frustration.

Over my career, I have led in negotiating thousands of celebrity contracts and helped match small and large brands with the right celebrity. I’m glad to share my celebrity marketing expertise with you.